Lagos, 2 others record highest number of complaints against policemen

Just as the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, Mr. Jimoh Moshood on Monday in a national television brushed aside the latest report of the WISPI/PSA which ranked Nigeria Police worst in the world, a new figure has revealed that in just two year, a total of 7,216 cases of professional misconduct lodged against police personnel.

Lagos, Rivers and the FCT commands recorded the highest number of complaints against policemen, while Sokoto, Yobe and Kebbi recorded the lowest.

Giving the details on Monday, the Head of the Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU) of the force, ACP Abayomi Shogunle, said in Abuja that the report covered the period from November 13, 2015 to November 13, 2017.

The PCRRU was established by the police authorities in 2015 with a mandate to receive and resolve cases of professional misconduct brought against officers.
In his presentation, he said whereas about 5,927 of the cases were resolved amicably with 729 still pending, while 560 of the cases were found to be false.

He said that 1,820 of the cases were requests for bail from members of the public and that 328 were for benefits while 278 centered on distress calls.

Shogunle said that N11.1 million and 800 dollars extorted from people within the period were handed over to their owners.

Continuing, the officer revealed that 81 officers were also sanctioned during the period for various professional misconducts, stressing that 10 officers were dismissed for professional misconduct and that one was reprimand while 64 others given various punishments.

Four of the officers had their ranks reduced, while two were suspended, noting that an assistant commissioner of police was the highest ranking officer sanctioned during the period.

The officer said that 87, 600 telephone calls were received and that 5,175 were treated as complaints while 4, 207 e-mails were received on complaints.

Shogunle pointed out that there was need to strengthen the capacity of the unit to take more calls from members of the public, noting that majority of the people preferred sending their complaints via telephone.

He canvassed for more powers for the police, said that such powers should not be without severe sanctions in case of abuse by officers.